UEFA has appointed German referee Felix Zwayer, who served a ban for match fixing, for England's Euros semi final clash against the Netherlands.
Zwayer, whose integrity was previously questioned by England midfielder Jude Bellingham, in 2005 served a six month ban handed down by Germany's football federation after working as an assistant referee alongside Robert Hoyzer.
Hoyzer was handed a lifetime ban after he was found guilty of match-fixing a series of games across three Germany football divisions in favour of a Berlin-based Croatian betting scheme.
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An investigation, prompted by Zwayer's confession, found the semi final bound referee accepted a bribe of $480 from Hoyzer during Wuppertaler SV's clash against Werder Bremen Amateure in May 2004.
Bellingham was fined $64,000 by the German Football Federation in 2021 for referencing Zwayer's involvement in the match-fixing scandal following former club Borussia Dortmund's defeat to Bayern Munich.
"You can look at a lot of the decisions in the game," England star said at the time.
"You give a referee, that has match-fixed before, the biggest game in Germany.
"What do you expect?"
Zwayer officiated the Netherlands' 3-0 victory over Romania in the round of 16 last Wednesday.
The 43-year-old will lead an all-German officiating team in Wednesday's (AEST) semi final clash between England and the Netherlands.
England defender Luke Shaw dismissed suggestions that the referee appointment was an uncomfortable experience for his team.
"No, not at all," the Manchester United star said.
"We have to respect UEFA in whoever they decide to pick as the ref. That won't change anything about us.
"We still just focus on the game in hand, not too much about what refs we've been given or this and that.
"For us, it won't make any difference."
Shaw, who was sidelined in England's group stage due to injury, said he has never played a match under the impression that officials were acting against his side.
"Sometimes in the heat of the moment, you get angry in games and you might think that, but no," he said.
"Whatever ref has been picked, has been picked. We just have to be ready and not focus on that."
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